


Failure to Communicate

by thesaddestboner



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, Foreign Language, M/M, Miscommunication, Pittsburgh Penguins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-05-11
Updated: 2009-05-11
Packaged: 2017-10-27 16:04:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/297617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesaddestboner/pseuds/thesaddestboner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Sidney just isn’t getting what Geno’s trying to tell him.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Failure to Communicate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kueble](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kueble/gifts).



> [**kueble**](http://kueble.livejournal.com/) asked for _Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin, Sidney just isn’t getting what Geno’s trying to tell him_. I hope this isn't completely disappointing!
> 
> Let's assume this is happening post-game and their teammates have already all left.
> 
> You can find me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/thesaddestboner) and [tumblr](http://saddestboner.tumblr.com).

Sidney emerged from the showers into a mostly empty lockerroom, rubbing a towel through his still-damp hair, and he could only blink in amazement at the flurry of Russian that assaulted him. He hadn’t even been in the lockerroom for more than two seconds before Geno jumped him and began babbling in his native tongue.

“Geno? Geno, what is it?” Sidney asked, fending him off, mildly alarmed. He’d never seen his teammate this excited before. He didn’t even bother to try and make sense of the words Geno was spewing at breakneck speed. The only Russian he understood were easy, simple words, like _hokkei_ and _Rossiya_ which were, obviously, Russian for hockey and Russia.

“ _I have something to tell you_ ,” Geno said excitedly, flapping his hands. His hair was wet and stuck to his forehead and the sides of his face, and his pants were undone. “ _You should be sitting down for this!_ ”

“Should I be sitting down for this?” Sidney asked, receiving nothing but a blank look in response.

Geno put his hands on Sidney’s shoulders and continued. “ _Sidney, I have spent a long time thinking about this, and I have realized that I love you! I love you, Sidney Crosby!_ ” Geno stared at Sidney with big, adoring eyes, clasping his hands over his heart as if in hopeful prayer.

Sidney shook his head, confused. He understood _Sidney_ and he understood _Crosby_ , but the rest of it? Not a chance. “Can you try speaking in English?” Sidney asked. 

“ _English_?” Geno repeated, frowning a little, his forehead scrunching up. “No good with English, Sidney.”

“I’m sorry, Geno, I just don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me,” Sidney said, waving a hand gently in the air for added emphasis.

Geno’s face fell, and he dropped his arms to his sides. “I-- I am sorry, Sidney. I cannot say in English and make you get.” He flapped a hand open and closed a few times. “You don’t get?”

Sidney shook his head. “No. I’m sorry, Geno. Maybe you can try saying it in English anyway? I can figure it out,” Sidney said, nodding.

Geno twisted his mouth into a frown again. “So hard for me to speak English and-- and not sound like idiot.”

“I know, but consider this extra practice or something,” Sidney said. He added, “And I don’t think you sound like an idiot.”

“Okay. I will try,” Geno said, a nervous smile flickering for a split second before fading. “Sidney, I-- deep in my heart, I have, I have-- ” Geno faltered again. He grabbed onto Sidney’s arm and gave him a jostle. “Word, what is word? Help, Sidney, what is word?” Geno fluttered his hand over his chest.

“Um,” Sidney said, “heart attack?”

“ _No_ ,” Geno said, reverting to Russian. “ _What is the word for ‘love’? Love, Sidney. How do you say ‘love’? What is the word for ‘love’? How can I say that I love you?_ ”

Sidney shook his head slowly, curling his lips around the word Geno was repeating, over and over. “Lou-blue,” he said, rolling it around on his tongue.

“ _Yes,_ ” Geno exclaimed, eyes brightening, clamping his hands on Sidney’s arms. “ _Love_!”

“I still don’t know what the hell you’re trying to say,” Sidney sighed, hanging his head.

Geno’s face fell. “ _I don’t know how to say it_ ,” he said, softly.

Sidney’s heart clenched a little. Geno looked so _injured puppy_. This was a really big thing for him, and he just couldn’t get his point across. Sidney couldn’t begin to imagine how frustrated Geno was right now. Sure, Sidney had to learn French while he played in the QMJHL, but he caught on pretty quickly. Everything had always been relatively effortless for Sidney, even picking up a second language.

“It’s okay, Geno,” Sidney said.

“Okay,” he echoed. “ _I will just have to show you then_.” Geno leaned in and pressed his lips lightly over Sidney’s.

Sidney opened his mouth in shock, and caught a mouthful of Geno’s tongue. When the kiss was over, and Geno had pulled back, face reddening, Sidney said, “ _This_ was what you were trying to tell me?” He gestured between them, to Geno’s heart.

He nodded and smiled shyly, outlining the shape of a heart on his chest with his index finger. “ _Love_ ,” he said.

Sidney smiled. He finally got it. “Love,” he said. “Geno loves Sidney.”

Geno nodded. “ _Yes, Geno loves Sidney_.”

Sidney’s smile widened. “Why didn’t you just say so?” He laughed, reaching out and giving Geno’s hand a squeeze.

**Author's Note:**

> The author of this piece intends no insult, slander, or copyright infringement, and is not profiting from this work. This story is a complete work of fiction and does not necessarily reflect on the nature of the individuals featured. This is for entertainment purposes only. If you found this story while Googling your name or the names of your friends, hit the back button now.


End file.
